Personal Guidance

Individual Guidance means that I focus completely on you as an individual. I support you in carrying out the daily activities where you need help. The law states that everyone should be able to participate in society. If this is not possible without help, guidance can be used.

This concerns, for example, support in structuring your life, providing tools so you can learn to create more structure yourself, and practicing to maintain structure. About creating more control on your personal life, practical support with skills/actions, inciting activities, and maintaining and promoting your self-reliance. Supervision can be part of the guidance if necessary; think, for example, of the risk of falling, intervention in case of behavioral problems or complications in an illness.

As a comparison with the obstacles and stressors in life, below is a story about stress. Then I explain what Individual Guidance can mean for you.

STRESS AND A GLASS OF WATER

During a stress management seminar, the teacher walked around the room with a raised glass of water. Everyone expected the question, “Is this glass half empty or is it half full?” Instead, she smiled and asked, “How heavy is this glass of water?”. The participants responded with different answers about weight.

She replied: “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a brief moment, that’s no problem. If I hold it for an hour, my arm hurts. If I hold it all day, my arm goes numb and paralyzed. The weight of the water stays the same, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it gets.”

Stress, tension and anxiety are like a glass of water. If you experience it for a brief moment, then there is nothing wrong. The pain starts with prolonged stress. Chronic stress creates an overload. You can no longer continue in the long run because your body doesn’t get a chance to recover. Like the glass of water, you need to lay down and rest your burdens and worries regularly before you can move on.

Stress is a given fact, but it is unhealthy if it is constantly present. If you consciously stop the stress a few times every day, your ability to cope with stress factors will improve.

LET ME HELP YOU TO “PUT DOWN YOUR GLASS FOR A BIT”

In Individual Guidance I use methods for relaxation and support that I have gained during my education. Depending on your needs, these are conversations, exercises to relax more deeply, to let go of (old) stress and to find your resilience.

WHAN INDIVIDUAL GUIDANCE CAN MEAN FOR YOU

  • Support with your self-care. Together we look at where you can be stimulated in this or where we can make improvements.
  • Get an overview of your own situation in areas such as: stress, energy, social skills, administration, etc.
  • Strengthening your own strength, resilience, self-reliance, stability, physical well-being and psychosocial functioning.
  • Explore together how you can increase your social contacts and your participation in society, and in this way reduce your loneliness.
  • Practical support in performing certain tasks and/or activities.
  • Practicing and ingraining skills that contribute to increasing your self-confidence.
  • Practicing and further developing skills learned elsewhere (e.g. in therapy).
  • Support during a doctor’s visit or other important appointment.
  • Setting up and maintaining a daily structure.
  • Experience safety that makes daily activities lighter and more fun.

HOW WE WORK

With Individual Guidance we go through the following five steps. In the guidance process that follows, they are discussed again and again, in the order that is necessary.

  1. We discuss what you are facing.
  2. We look at where you need help, practice, structuring, support, etc.
  3. We make an accessible plan with a number of manageable goals. These can always be adjusted in flexibility to your needs and possibilities.
  4. We set out together during the IB sessions, because guidance is collaboration.
  5. We certainly emphasize (small) progress achieved, but the guidance is mainly intended as a continuous line of support to improve your quality of life.

WHAT YOU CAN DO YOURSELF

Below are a few techniques you can do by yourself to reduce stress and increase your resilience.

  • Take a few moments to breath deeply from your diaphragm. Diaphragmatic (belly) breathing helps oxygenate your blood and will help you relax almost immediately; as little as 90 seconds will have an effect.
  • Drink a glass of (warm) water and put the empty glass down. Water flushes your system and the empty glass is allowed to rest until it is filled and used again.
  • Take a brisk walk outside for 15 minutes. Let your mind focus on what you are noticing in your environment rather than mulling over your problems.
  • Just say NO! Trying to do too much, over-scheduling yourself is a direct route to becoming over stressed. Set reasonable limits for yourself and stick to them.
  • Stretch. A great stress relieving stretch is a yoga pose called the child pose. Kick your shoes off, kneel on the floor (on a rug or mat), bum on your heels, belly on your thighs, place your forehead on the floor, arms forward on the floor and palms down. Hold this for a few minutes, or as long as comfortable.
  • Eat a snack while practicing mindfulness.

THE FINANCES

I am registered with the Chamber of Commerce as self-employed. Per Saldo and the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) therefore count me in the category of Formal Caregivers. This is beneficial for you if you have a Personal Budget (PGB). You can purchase care and/or guidance from me with this. Call or email me for more information.

All information can also be found on www.carollyne.nl